News

SPRINGFIELD – Graduating high school students will soon see more opportunities to attend Illinois’ public colleges and universities, thanks to a law led by State Senator Celina Villanueva that expands in-state tuition rates to any individual who attended an Illinois high school for three years.

“Expanding in-state tuition at public colleges and universities will offer an otherwise unreachable lifeline to so many students, especially those coming from vulnerable situations,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “This is about ensuring our higher education system prioritizes equity and opportunity for all.”

For the past several years, Illinois lawmakers have voiced concerns with college costs, specifically citing rising in-state tuition that has led to many students taking on more in education-related debt or seeking higher education across state lines. Villanueva recognizes that the continued rising cost of living disproportionately affects low-income families and students participating in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – groups that often have to temporarily relocate due to unforeseen circumstances.

SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing the importance of reproductive health data privacy for Illinois residents, State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a law to directly combat continued attacks on bodily autonomy and keep reproductive data out of the wrong hands.

“This is about making sure women across our state don’t have to live in fear for seeking critical health care, especially abortion care, or face persecution if their private health records fall into a bad actor’s hands,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “By requiring health information exchanges to implement new policies that protect sensitive health data, we’re taking a direct approach to protecting women and mitigating the harm of the 2022 Roe v. Wade overturning.”

A health information exchange is used to electronically transfer patient medical data, for the use of maintaining medical records or to share among providers, to improve diagnostic efficiency and the overall quality of patient care. To keep abortion records safe, Villanueva’s law, the Reproductive Health Records Privacy Act, will require health information exchanges to:

• Limit user access to systems containing abortion-related medical information
• Refrain from sharing data across state lines, unless the reason for the disclosure is for technical support, quality assurance or billing purposes, or the patient consents to sharing their data
• Technically segregate information related to abortion services from the rest of a patient’s record
• Disable access to segregated information for out-of-state entities.

CHICAGO – State Senator Celina Villanueva, in collaboration with Central States SER, is hosting a free community job fair Thursday, June 25, to provide residents with an opportunity to connect with local and state employers, attend workshops and gather much-needed resources.

“Whether searching for their first job, looking for a new career path or just needing to explore options, this event is the perfect opening for individuals to connect directly with employers and learn about new, exciting opportunities,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “I encourage all our residents to take this next step toward their employment goals and meet with local businesses and organizations face-to-face in a welcoming environment.”

The job fair will take place Thursday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arturo Velasquez Westside Technical Institute, located at 2800 S. Western Ave. on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with various industries who are looking for additions to their organizations, including state and city agencies, health care facilities and Job Corps.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois residents are on track to receive much-needed financial relief, thanks to the efforts of State Senator Celina Villanueva, whose responsible revenue package that will bolster new revenue sources without placing taxes on everyday people was signed into law today.

“My colleagues and I have been forced to watch as the everyday struggles for our residents become harder and harder all while the wealth gap between the top 1% and working-class families becomes wider and wider – and we’re saying enough is enough,” said State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago). “When we have Illinoisans having to decide between paying the electric bill and putting food on the table, or buying their medication and making their car payment on time, we have a duty to implement responsible revenue solutions that place working families back in our economy’s driver’s seat.”

Senate Bill 3019 – the revenue package – implements a stream of equitable revenue enhancements that uplift working families across Illinois, including making corporations pay their fair share and reinstating the back-to-school tax holiday.